Site Map * Site Search Events * Pan Global * Message Board * Guest Book * Pan News * Pan Radio * Pan New York * About Us

 

Join Mailing List

 

 

Panorama 2006 Trinidad and Tobago

Date: 01.17.06

Things Are In Place
for Panorama 2006

says Patrick Arnold

New York - By the time When Steel Talks caught up with the president of Pan Trinbago - Patrick Arnold had already been at the office for two hours since 7:00 AM - having gotten his customary early start that was necessary to keep things running smoothly.  Arnold says that for the Panorama 2006 season, as usual  things are in place, and the steel orchestras are rehearsing.

If video does not auto start click here

At least two parameters are slated to stay the same for the 2006 national Panorama season in Trinidad and Tobago.  According to Arnold, there are no rule changes, and the other allowance that made its appearance last year - musical selections from previous years to be allowed as panorama choices in the extremely competitive arena - was once again in place.   "No reason to change that - the bands don't want to change that," he said, adding "Why do we kill our own music?  That's been accepted by the bands."

Panorama arrangers may arrange in each category - small, medium and large steel orchestras, and also for the single pan bands.  Arnold pointed out that in this way they would not be competing against themselves in any category, as these are 'four distinct competitions.'  On the other hand, he made clear that pan players would only be allowed to register for one orchestra.  This would appear to mean that even if players rendered their services for more than one steelband during the season, they would only receive from Pan Trinbago, payment for one band's work.

Legendary master musician and steelband arranger Clive Bradley passed away in November 2005, and the Pan Trinbago president confirmed once more that the 2006 Panorama was being held in Bradley's honor.  "There are a few proposals being looked at to be finalized, [decisions to be made in the next day or so] but that "most likely - in the savannah - you would know it's Bradley's day."  Arnold was sure that the public would understand that, adding that there would also be a Clive Bradley challenge trophy at stake for the finals.

Patrick Arnold's first love is pan tuning - which he still manages to squeeze in despite his commitments at Pan Trinbago.  However, he says he definitely does not have much time for that vocation, but takes some days 'to help out bands in Trinidad,' and also to attend to his own band's tuning, Our Boys Steel Orchestra in Tobago.  He added that he had also tuned for a major Japanese instrument manufacturer in Tokyo for many years, whose catalog included steelpans.  Nowadays, he has other tuners taking up some of these opportunities, as he does not find as much time to devote to that overseas pursuit.

The pan tuner/Pan Trinbago president also lived in the USA for a number of years, and admitted that he used to 'tune a tenor pan for one thousand US dollars' back in the eighties.  He ruefully says, though, now he does not even collect that sum on a monthly basis as president of the global pan governing body.  He laughingly added "That means that I've been losing a lot of money in Pan Trinbago!"

A typical day for this busy individual, especially during the panorama season begins early; pan men stop by the offices of Pan Trinbago just as early once they spot the tell-tale signs of his vehicle in the compound.  Arnold is also a commissioner on the board of the National Carnival Commission (NCC).  On daily his agenda are lots of meetings dealing with wide-ranging issues from accreditation, sponsorship, interacting with the Minister of Culture, etc. - in fact whatever demands his attention.

A couple other points Patrick Arnold touched on were the Junior National Panorama, jointly hosted with the Ministry of Education, in which youth steel orchestras from schools all over Trinidad and Tobago participated, and the prizes for the 2006 Trinidad and Tobago national panorama competition.  Regarding the former, there had been consideration given to a possible date change to ensure the most favorable patronage of the finals of the junior panorama, and Arnold confirmed that the date was set for February 19, 2006.  Prizes for the major steelband panorama competitions will remain the same as far as availability of government funding is concerned, but he remained hopeful that there could be positive changes if additional private sponsorship was secured.

In closing, the Pan Trinbago president encouraged the global steelpan community's support of the national instrument, pan musicians and their art form, for yet another national panorama competition season in Trinidad and Tobago.

2006 Complete Interview List

 

C. Phillips, Basement Press Corp.
©2006 When Steel Talks - All Rights Reserved

Share your opinions
Email:
opinions@panonthenet.com


 

Click For More On Panorama 2006 In Trinidad and Tobago www.TnT.PanOnTheNet.com

For the best in steelband music Buy your steelband CDs and DVDs here!

 

 

Let us hear your views   

Click here


www.PanOnTheNet.com
The Business of
Steelpan Music 24 -7


 


Buy your steelband
 CDs and DVDs here!

 

 

Site Map * Site Search Events * Pan Global * Message Board * Guest Book * Pan News * Pan Radio * Pan New York * About Us